Deer Two
After I got my "Li'l" Deer, I went on four hunts without any sightings except one Doe with a yearling that came in but offered no decent shot before taking leave. I'd also been on the ground for three of those hunts and was beginning to think maybe I'd spooked the area Deer worse than I'd thought. However at the same time it was bright moon times, and had turned warmer again, which didn't help. We had a couple of colder days when reports were good but I hadn't been able to get out during that period. I was planning to get out on Friday, exactly two weeks after my previous great night on the ground. It was supposed to turn cloudy in the afternoon, from an approaching cold front, but to my uneasiness it stayed sunny and warm that afternoon. With little confidence of seeing anything, I still decided two days of staying away had to be enough. At least I would be out there, and I sure couldn't see any Deer in the living room. I also made up my mind to go back up the tree, in case they were watching the base of the tree without my realizing it. Besides, there was a pretty good breeze up above ground level so it would be a more pleasant sit up there, on this warm evening. As sundown neared and the seven or eight Squirrels that had been amusing me throughout the evening headed for bed, I was about to conclude it had been an uneventful sit as well.
"Thank you, Lord, for the Squirrels anyway," had just ran through my head when I realized there was a dark Deer moving in the brush, straight towards my front. So dead-on to me that I hadn't noticed it at first . I recall figuring it was probably one of the Spikehorns or Cowhorns I had been seeing from its decent size. As it got close to the woods-road edge I could see there was nothing on it's head but ears - a nice Doe. I shifted my eyes around for a yearling to bust me, since she obviously was not aware of me. Seeing none, and with her head now down towards the road's edge, probably hoping to find an acorn, I carefully got to my feet. She moved out onto the road. Only twelve yards away now, and still more or less at ease. Well, as much as a Doe ever is at ease, but still head-on. Suddenly both of us heard a pretty good noise right at the base, and behind, my tree. She stared, suddenly more alert - I didn't dare move my head now but thought another decent sized Deer was going to come out onto the roadway right below me. I cast my eyes downward as much as I dared and a pair of fat Raccoons appeared, one either side of my tree. The Doe turned to my left, her movement bringing my eyes back up. I thought, "Rats, she is going back in the bushes because of those fat rascals." However she, almost in the same stride, turned back my way. A sidelong glance at the coons showed me they had blissfully, and thankfully, angled across the road to my right. Apparently they were not aware, or concerned, with either the Deer or me, and had plans of their own. In turn, the Doe was no longer bothered by them. She turned from broadside, but at my left, about 14 or 15 yards now, back towards the bushes edging the road. Again I thought she probably would leave the roadway now, when it suddenly dawned on me - "Quartering away, you fool!" It had been so long since I'd been offered that most desirable of shots, by a legal, decent sized Deer, that I almost slept it. I drew, picking my spot for a shot from an elevated point and the arrow was away. I heard the tell-tale, "Thunk" and actually saw the arrow disappear in her ribs. I saw her hunch a little as she swiftly swung to her, and my, left. I watched as she ran about 20 yards to the left on the roadway (turned out to be 22 yards) before turning between a couple of twin-sized trees. As she melted into the thick brush across from my side of the road, it looked like she lowered her head and slowed down. I wasn't sure but that was the last impression I had. I could see the arrow stuck in the roadside at the angle I would expect from a solid hit and pass through. Still standing, my legs shaky now, I listened intently. For about five minutes, I heard virtually nothing that I could discern. Then a deer barked to my right front and I heard it head back away, towards the Golf Course. Since I hadn't heard any movement across my front I assumed it was probably a different Deer all together. In another five minutes, as I sank into the welcome support of my Ol' Man's hammock seat, I heard a sudden thump from the bushes where I'd last seen the Doe. At the same time as I was wondering if she had stood there that long before falling, I heard another snort, and movement away from that spot. I was beginning to become worried and confused. I decided it was time to check things out a little - carefully. After descending my tree and quietly packing my treestand and gear I moved across to retrieve my blood soaked arrow. With flashlight and bow in hand, I scanned the roadbed as I went to the two trees where my doe had turned in. I wasn't moving very slowly, since I knew where she had gone, but I was not pleased that I didn't pick up any blood sign along the way. I looked pretty good between the two trees but still nothing. With sinking heart I moved into the woods a couple steps, and then flashed the light ahead of me where I had last seen her, and heard the thump and snort later. There, not three paces further ahead, lay my beautiful Doe. "Thank you, Lord. Thank you, so very much, Lord - even for the little scare." I'm not sure if it came out aloud or not but I do know my rather strange little silent thank you was followed by a nervous laugh. Apparently a third Deer, coming from the left, had stumbled onto the dead doe, stomped, snorted, and ran off.
I grabbed the two back legs and pulled my prize the short distance to the roadway, retrieved my gear, returned to pick up her legs again and dragged her a few yards. I realized I was sweating and called myself an old fool. Once I came to my senses LOL, I dropped the legs of this heavier Deer and headed to the truck to stow my gear and come back with my old but blessed cart, and without my Bug Away suit on. Happy days are here again.
Topic: Exactly Two Weeks Later - And Second Deer! (Read 6715 times)
